Melwinn

Really appreciate the help guys. So im assuming i can go to an auto store, get replacement plugs and a tool to measure the gap and go from there? Always looking to increase my auto "know how" haha.

I have an appointment at the dealer on tues but ill see if i can fix the issue before then via the plugs and cleaning the sensor. My tune is warrantied through stage 3 motorsports so i dont need to worry about the "you're tuned so we wont fix it under warranty" conversation with the dealer. I think ill still remove it though because i remember hearing stories about the dealer resetting ecus or something so the tune would be lost.

Tothemax

Yes, always remove it when you go in because they might hook up theie computer and update the system. The tune and their pc might clash.

The sp534s should be gapped at .030 but you need to check before you install them. Also you will need a torque wrench as they are easy to over torque and break.

Melwinn

I found the plugs on amazon and will have them Friday. Also got a few extra sleeves and some anti seize. Was going to order some coils too but noticed those are not nearly as cheap as the plugs.

If the plugs dont fix the problem can i take it to the dealer and they should replace the coils under warranty if those are in fact the issue? Or is that considered normal wear and tear and i would be responsible for the replacement cost?

Maybe im getting a bit ahead of myself with these questions haha.

Either way, thanks again for answering these newbie questions. Im glad i have all this input though as it sounds like this may be reoccurring maintenance i will need to perform.

LastResort

I wouldn't think a coil on plug is normal wear item, they should last a while.

Melwinn

Well, as a quick update i went through and replaced all 6 plugs to no avail. I am still glad i did it as all the plugs that were in there were gapped to .35.

Off to the dealer on tues!

Alan Lava

ECOBOOST OWNERS EXPERIENCING ACCELERATION PROBLEMS MIGHT WANT TO READ THIS !!!

I have a 2011 F150 with a 3.5L ecoboost with 215,000Km's as of today. I wanted to share some of my engine problem experiences with everyone. Around 125,000Km's I started to notice low rpm shaking during acceleration or even when maintaining highway speeds. Then if got worst to the point where I would start to feel the odd misfire and eventually the engine went into "Limp Mode" and the check engine light came on. I started researching online and found others were finding hairline cracks in the ceramic part of the spark plug. Seeing how I was pretty much due for spark plugs I bought 6 new ones and sure enough while changing them I found one with the crack as was shown in the youtube video I watched. So great problem found, new plugs installed fixed right... well for now. I think it was around 10,000Km's later the truck starts missing again and I never did completely get rid of the shudder/shake during low rpm acceleration but it was much much better and less noticeable. So I start checking the plugs again and sure enough the same plug was cracked again? Now before everyone starts with the you over torqued it, I've been doing my own plugs for years without a problem lol that's not it. So I go buy another one and change it.. runs great again, cool. well I think around 40,000KM's again I start feeling misfires.. wtf so start checking plugs again. The one that was giving me problems was fine but a few others were starting to crack, some just starting small cracks and others worse. So I talk to the dealer and they suggest I change the coil packs and boots too. Well not at their prices lol, so I go online and order 6 new Ford spark plugs and coil packs for about 65% of the dealer cost and replace everything (THIS TIME I TIGHTEN THE GAP TO 0.028). Since then I have driven 40,000km's and haven't had another spark plug/ misfire problem, knock on wood. Shortly after that I started getting a code for one of my driver's upsteam oxygen sensor so I replaced both sides, I also needed a new starter had that done at the same time. So at this point the engine's running decent, no codes, no misfires but I can still feel a slight shimmy/shake at low rpm 6th gear acceleration. Oh well I guess that's just how it goes.

2 months ago I schedule an oil change. The next day I'm driving home from work (it's -15Cel) and I feel like the truck is struggling to accelerate and the check engine light comes on. When I get home I check the codes and I'm getting P0016 and P0299. I reset them and the truck drives fine for about 2 weeks and then on a mild day it starts doing it again, check engine light and the same codes again. So I'm looking under the hood for anything obvious, but see nothing out of the ordinary... so back to google to do some research. It was starting to look like a waste gate issue and I though I had it narrowed down to the waste gate solenoid which I read others claiming the same problem and it fixing it. My step father is a retired VW mechanic with experience working with turbos, he said they used to have trouble with the solenoids and try a drop of light oil and see it it helps. So I do and sure enough the problem seems to have disappeared and even in mild weather when it seemed to happen more often. So thinking that was the problem I order a new solenoid online for a cheap price. So its been 2 weeks since I oiled the solenoid and I am going to get the new one shortly and install it and the truck starts acting up again so the next day I get the solenoid and install it. But to my disappointment is doesn't fix the problem.. great so now what (its late into the evening by this point and its dark outside). So back to google and more research lol... I came across someone's comment to someone else about check all vacuum lines and hoses again closely for cracks and make sure they're properly seated and he made reference to some line always comes off... so the next day when its light outside I check things under the hood yet again. When you take the heat shield off the top of the engine there is a line on the driver's side that needs to be pushed slightly out of the way to remove the cover, well BE CAREFUL WHEN MOVING THIS LINE! I think this might be what that user was talking about because I noticed that the hose was halfway off the nipple and when I went to put it back on it slipped on with no resistance at all. I could put it off just as easy with just a thumb and finger and that is with the double hose clamp on it correctly? WTF? that's not right so I replaced the factory crap clamp with a regular garden hose clamp and Bob's your uncle my truck is running amazing now. I don't feel the low rpm shudder/shake anymore (oh by the way I didn't change my Air cooler or have the deflector installed or reflash my tranny or computer or drill the hole like others have). The truck feels and accelerates like it did when it was new. If I didn't get luck and find this irritating intermittent problem (thanks to the clues from other people as well) this could have been expensive to take to the dealership.

If other's are experiencing similar problems I hope this information will be helpful for you as well.

Tothemax

Paragraphs brother. That was hard to read....

kruman

I think he used chapters instead of paragraphs, thanks for the post with a resolution to your problem Alan.

Sandy Wigington

[QUOTE=Melwinn;4642637]Hi all,

I am very aware of all the issues that the 2011-2012 ecoboosts were having with loss of power and basically "falling on its face" under acceleration. My understanding is this issue has been pretty limited to those model years due to the ICA problems, and were fixed for the 2013/14 motors.

Unfortunately though, i am getting a very similar problem with my truck. Its happened a few times now, and the worst occurrences was with the pedal to the floor in second gear. I have a 2014 FX4 Screw Ecoboost with about 34k miles. I have a 5* tune for 91 perf/tow and have had it for the last 25k miles with 0 issues. Here is a summary of what is happening:

-I can sometimes feel the truck jerking under lighter throttle and it almost seems like the transmission is slipping

-Under full throttle it works 97% of the time, but there have been a few occurances where it almost feels like the rev limiter kicks in around 5k rpm, boost goes to over 18 psi (which never really happens normally) and it wont go over 5k rpm and shift.

-performance seems low compared to what it should be. If i do a 2wd lightly boosted launch its taking me 7.5 to 8 seconds to reach 60 mph? (i have a timer in my boost gauge).

I will be towing a 30ft camper trailer 1 month from now and would like to have everything in working order and get this resolved ASAP. I will be taking it to the dealer soon but i wanted to see if there are any other 13/14 ecoboosts experiencing this? Have you gone to the dealership yet?

Thanks all[/QUOTE
I bought this truck in December 2020, it has been in the dealership multiple times, the engine light & loss of acceleration happens again within days.
any ideas on what the dealership needs to specifically fix this problem??]

Ford150Guy22

Hello Fordman1979, can I pick your brain a bit, seems to be that is exactly what we have with my F150 2011 EB 3.5. sometimes I have a loss of power and nobody has been able to figure out what is going on. But now it has changed it always happen between 1850-2050 RPM under load.
But we dont have any codes or errors on the dash.

What did they do on your truck, only changed the coil packs?

Thank you so much!